Black Boy Chapter Summary & Analysis - Chapter 7 Summary

Chapter 7 Summary

It is 1924, and Richard continues to look for work that will help him fight both his hunger and his loneliness. Now in the eighth grade, Richard receives his first validation as a writer, when he takes one of his stories to the black newspaper publisher to read and publish. The reaction of Richard's family to the publication of his story in serial form in the paper is less than encouraging and they puzzle over just why he would do it or of what value his writing could possibly be.

Richard's vision of leaving his grandmother's house for good expands to a vision in which he goes north to write novels and books. Despite his understanding that his dreams are viewed as being "wrong" by his classmates and his recognition that the educational system in which blacks participated were structured to limit his growth and development, Richard believed there was...
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